Bathing suit



av. 11, 1930. G. w. COWDREY s m 8 M i 2 fl w m Z w I fia wt 6 W BATHING SUIT Filed March 14, 1928 Patented Nov. 11, 1930 GEORGE W. COWDBEY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA BATHING SUIT Application filed March 14, 1928. Serial lilo. 261,553.

My invention is a bathing suit particularly adapted to the construction of a skirtless type of suitf I An object of my invention is the construction of a bathing suit of a one-piece sk1rtless type which will be comfortable and a suit in which vigorous swimming may be indulged in without the suit interfering with the actions of the swimmer. o Another object of my invention is the construction of a suit with what may be termed a trunk structure connected or formed integral with the upper body structure and having a separate band secured in the trunk, this bandbeing attached to the front and back of the trunks at substantially the waist line, this being the only attachment, and such band "fitting between the crotch of the legs. I Another object of myinvention 1s theconstruction of the trunk or lower portion of the bathing suit with the band formed preferably in front and back pieces, wh1ch may be stitched together at their side ends over the hips, and also stitched together at the1r lower edges, thus making in effect a small short trunk with substantially no leg constructlon, fitting inside of the main portion of the trunk which may or may not have an extended leg construction. Y

My invention applies to bathing suits for adult men and women andjalso forchildren, and if desired may be made in an design of upper body' structure, the suit being preferably made of a knitted material as is the ordinary practice, and will stretch to conform to the movements of the wearer;

It will also be understood that if desired my bathing suit can be made with the skirt construction. j

My invention is illustrated in the accom-' panying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of my bathing suit as worn.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the suit, lookin from the front.

i 3 may be considered a vertical sectional view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a erspective'view of the band or. inner trunks efore stitching at the side edgp. Fig.5 is a view of the front portion of t e band or inner trunks.

Fig. 6 is a View of the back portion of the band or inner trunks.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the band or inner trunks before attaching to the main 1 portion of the bathing suit.

In my invention the upper or body portion of the bathing suit is designated by the nu: meral 11 and the lower or trunk portion by the numeral 12. While these have no distinct dividing line, it is convenient to utilize the line 13, substantially the waist line, as the dividing line between the body portion and the trunks. The trunks have leg openings 14 and the body has arm openings 15 and a neck and head opening 16, as is the usual practice in single-piece bathing suits.

The band construction, which may be designated as an inner trunk, is designated generally by the numeral 17. This has a front section 18, which has preferably a horizontal upper edge 19 and vertical side edges 20. These side edges 20 are followed by a reverse curved edge 21, which reverse curved edges are connected by a lower curved section 22.

The back section 23 has a curved upper edge 24 and short side edges 25. The side portions extend downwardly in a reverse curve 26, these reverse curves being connected by the lower curved section 27.

The band or inner trunk is connected at the side edges at 20 and 25 by stitching indicated by the numeral 28 in Fig. 7. The lower curved portions 22 of the front and 27 of the back are also stitched together as indicated by the stitching line 29 in Fig. 7. The band or inner trunk structure as thus built up, is'stitched into the body of the bathing suit by stitches as indicated on the line 13, this being substantially the waist line joining the body portion and the main or upper trunks. It will, therefore, be seen that theinner trunks have leg openings 30. The upper edge 19of the front portion of the band or inner trunks may be considered as occupying substantially a horizontal posi- 95 tion when the bathing suit is held vertically and the upper edge 24 of the back portion will have a slight curve upwardly. This, however, straightens out into substantially a horizontal line at about the waist line of the wearer when the suit is put on and in various body movements of the wearer.

It will thus be seen by my construction that I have developed a bathing suit which has the appearance of a single-piece suit but which has an inner band or inner trunks fitted inside of the main or other trunks of the suit, and that these inner trunks are supported entirely from the body structure of the bathing suit at or adjacent the waistline.

It is to be understood, however, that this inner band or trunks may be attached at different heights relative to the construction of the suit. The suit may be constructed with the trunk ortion having a considerable leg length, or t is may be quite short. However,

the inner trunks shoud be constructed so that there will be practically no leg length, the

stitched edge 28 fitting over the hips and the leg openings 30extending downwardly at a sharp angle to the lower stitched portion 29 which fits in the crotch of the legs.

A characteristic feature of my invention is that the band or inner trunk from the place of attachment to the trunk or body structure of the bathing suit is detached at the bottom or crotch portion 29 from the bottom or crotch portion 31 of the outer trunk; and also that the inner trunk is shorter from the place of attachment at the top to the crotch portion 29 of such inner trunk than the measurement from such place'of attachment to the crotch portion 31 of the outer trunk, this being clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 7

Another characteristic feature of my invention is that the inner trunk is constructed with the back portion as illustrated in Fig.

6, with an upward curve higher than the front portion as indicated in Fig. 5. Also the inner trunk has a strip of-considerable vertical height passing over the hips where the front and rear portions are fastened together. The shoulder straps function to give a support to the inner trunk and thus cause the inner trunk to act as a supporter and with fat or stout people the wide portions in the front and particularl in the back give a support and confine the orm- Various changes may be made in the principles, of my invention without departing from the s irit thereof, as set forth in the de scription, rawings and claims.

I. claim:

1. A bathing suit having an upper body portion having shoulder straps and an outer trunk portion formed integral therewith,

. an inner trunk portion secured at its upper edge to the outer trunk portion, the measurement of the inner trunk portion from such place of attachment to the crotch of the inner trunk being less than the measurement of the outer trunk from such place of attachment to the crotch of the outer trunk, and the inner trunk being attached to the outer trunk substantially'only at the above mentioned place of attachment the shoulder straps giving a support for the inner trunk.

2. bathing suit having an upper body portion with shoulder straps and openings for the head, neck and arms, an outer trunk portion formed integral therewith and having legs, an inner trunk or band portion formed of front and rear sections secured toto the body portion at substantially the waist line, there being a strip forming part of the inner trunk extending over the hips below the point of attachment, the inner trunk being of less measurement from the point of attachment to the body portion to the crotch than from such point of attachment to the crotch of the outer trunk and the rear section of the inner trunk being at least as wide as the front gether at the crotch, attached on the inside I jections of the body at the lower-portion of the torso.

4. A swimming suit, comprising a skirtless torso covering having leg openings therein and a crotch portion between the leg openings, and a trunk secured in the torso covering having leg openings therein in substan-n tial alinement with the leg openin s of-the torso covering but larger than said st mentioned openings and spaced from said first mentioned openings, and a crotch portion on the trunk spaced above the crotch portion of the torso covering whereby the trunk acts as a body supporter and prevents the lower portion of the torso covering from following the creases and projections of the body at the lower portion of the torso.

5. A swimming suit comprising a torso covering having shoulder straps and leg openings and a crotch portion betweenthe leg openings, asupporter located within the torso covering including a front and a back portion having a crotch portion therebetween, said front and back portions being connected to the torso covering, the crotch portion of the supporter being spaced above the crotch portion of the torso covering, the shoulder straps of the torso covering maintaining the supporter in proper relationship to the body of the wearer.

6. A swimming suit comprising a torso covering having shoulder straps and leg openings and a crotch portion between the leg openings, a band portion extending between the leg openings and located within the torso covering including a front and a back portion and a crotch portion said front and back portions being connected to the torso covering to the front and the rear of a transverse line through the crotch portion of the torso covering, the crotch portion of the band being spaced above the crotch portion of the torso covering, the shoulder straps giving a support to the said band portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE W. COWDREY. 

